The Angels Take Red Dwarf
by RavenclawCookie
Summary: What happens when the wandering Time Lord clashes with the Boys From The Dwarf? When the deadly foes of the Doctor seek the Mining ship in order to feed on its energy, the Red Dwarf crew along with the Doctor and Rose must join forces to defeat the Weeping Angels for good.
1. Pleasant Greetings

_**Hey guys!**_

_**So this idea came from an awesome post I saw on tumblr and I decided (with a little inspiration) to write a crossover between two amazing sci-fi TV shows, starring my favourite Doctor Who villains! This is my first Doctor Who fic, and I'm aware that Rose never encountered the Weeping Angels whilst travelling with the Tenth Doctor, but I really wanted her to be the companion in this fanfic and it's my story - so I can do what I like! xD**_

_**Anyways, I do not own any of the characters from either Red Dwarf or Doctor Who! I OWN NOTHING but the storyline! **_

_**I hope you enjoy, please leave a review. I love hearing what you guys think of my work.**_

_**Love,**_

_**RavenclawCookie**_

* * *

"Hey Holly, what's goin' on man?"

David Lister strolled into the sleeping quarters he shared with the neurotic hologram Arnold Rimmer, his dreadlocks swinging merrily, hitting his shoulder blades in rhythmic waves. His eyes fell upon the ditzy blonde computer that had flashed up on the monitor, wearing the same bored and disinterested expression she always did.

"Alright Dave? Not much. Being 3 million years into deep space, nothin' exciting happens anymore." She pointed out, raising her eyebrows and giving him a pitiful look.

Dave sighed inwardly, snatching the can of stationary lager from the table and taking a swig; It's bland, warm taste did not affect him, despite having been left unattended for several days. "Yeh righ'. It's smeggin' borin' round here." He collapsed into the chair, feeling utterly useless in the vast universe they had been circling for three years now. It felt like they would never reach earth.

Just then, Cat strolled into the room, looking immaculate; his hair was brushed back into a high bouffant and a long magenta jacket fluttered in his wake as he span round nimbly on his toes. His teeth were bared in a high-pitched growl and a single golden earring in the apt shape of a fish skeleton dangled vigorously from one ear.

"Hey bud! What's the haps?" He chirped, leaping onto the top bunk like an Olympic gymnast. Lister admired the Cat's enthusiasm despite the situation of their dreary surroundings.

"Nothin'. Absolutely smeggin' nothin'!" Lister snapped, his voice gravely from the remnants of his last swig of lager running down his throat.

"Hey! Don't blame me, it's not my fault you're trapped on this hell-hole with Captain Smegski!" The Cat retorted. Lister knew he meant Rimmer.

"Sorry mate…I'm just bored. Nothin' happens round here anymore." Dave sighed, his anger fading in an instant to be replaced only by despair.

The Cat opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Holly's dulcet tones.

"Hey guys, I've just received a video message, if you wanna take a look." She informed them, unfazed by the sudden newsflash.

Lister jumped out of his chair eagerly, his eyes glittering with an excitement that had not existed a few seconds ago. "Yeah! One minute - KRYTEN, RIMMER! GET IN HERE!" He yelled impatiently, knowing the rest of their miniscule crew were not far away. Moments later, Lister was proven correct when a flash of emerald caught his eye.

Arnold Rimmer (the ship's resident Hologram) dressed in a metallic tunic of deep green entered the room, breathless, followed by a rather flustered-looking Android.

"What the smeg is going on?" Rimmer cried, his eyes wide with panic.

But before Lister could answer, two people had appeared on the monitor before them, bearing wide grins that, little did the Dwarfers know, were concealing a grave truth that would plunge them all into mortal danger.

"Who the smeg are they?" Rimmer exclaimed wildly, shocked by the sight of other human beings.; he was pleased to notice that one of them was a woman.

The man was relatively young, though his intelligent eyes told otherwise. He wore a pinstriped suit of deep brown to match the rich colour of his untidy hair. A pair of rectangular glasses framed his youthful features, which were wreathed by a warm, welcoming grin.

The woman by his side was younger still; her ash-blonde hair hung just past her shoulders and her soft brown eyes glimmered with a mixture of admiration for the man beside her and a slight hint of fear that the Dwarfers could not yet explain.

"Hello!" Said the man. Rimmer detested his chirpy enthusiasm immediately, wrinkling his nose so that the bridge was creased toward his furrowed brow. "My name's the Doctor!"

Lister and the Cat exchanged a look of confusion.

"And I'm Rose!" The girl said. Lister recognised the slight inflection of a London accent in the way she talked and smiled.

"We noticed your ship and thought we might pop in, if that's alright with you." The man named the Doctor chuckled and his grin widened.

"Don't be alarmed. We ain't aliens or anything." Rose reassured them, casting a glance at the Doctor smugly.

"_Well…_" The Doctor cocked his head to one side, dragging out the word with an indecisive shrug to accompany it. The Dwarfers were rendered speechless; the Doctor continued:

"We've been chasing something through a vortex and it turns out they're headed straight for your ship." He explained, talking so fast that the crew of Red Dwarf could barely understand what he was saying. "Be very careful. Keep your eyes pealed, they could already be with you, and most importantly;" His tone was suddenly grave. "don't blink. We'll be with you in a moment."

The girl named Rose gave a tiny wave before the screen went dead.

"Smeggin' hell." Lister breathed, his inability to form words rendering him speechless once more.

"What the smeg was he talking about?" Rimmer said to no one in particular. "He seemed like a complete and utter lunatic! God forbid we let that gimboid aboard this ship; he'd reek havoc!"

"What d'yeh think he meant by 'don't blink'?" Lister asked, ignoring Rimmer's comment completely.

"Oh who gives a smeg? Holly, lock the cargo bay doors, will you?" Rimmer ordered, turning to face the ship's computer, who had resumed her usual pass time of gazing into space.

"Too late - they're here!" Holly announced, her eyes wide.

"Oh great…Doctor Gimboid's arrived then. Well, he certainly won't be getting a-" Rimmer began, a vexed expression on his face; but before he could continue, Lister cut across him.

"Oh shut up, Rimmer!" Lister snapped, swaggering over to the door without another word.

Shocked, Rimmer fiddled awkwardly with the hem of his tunic before following after Cat and Kryten, blushing ever-so-slightly.

* * *

The quartet arrived in the cargo-bay, delighted and puzzled by the sight of the midnight-blue telephone box standing in the centre of the room. They cast perplexed glances towards each other, wondering (simultaneously) how on earth the couple could fit within the strange vessel. The creak of an opening door interrupted their thoughts.

"HELLO!" Cried the Doctor, bounding out of the ship known as the TARDIS. Rose followed shortly after, wearing a shyer smile than the one she had worn during the video message, not taking her chestnut eyes off the man before her.

Rimmer rolled his eyes exasperatedly, whilst Lister retaliated by holding out a hand for the Doctor to shake. The enigma did so.

"I'm Lister. This is Rimmer, Cat and Kryten." Lister introduced the crew. The Dwarfers nodded in turn.

The Doctor beamed. "Well, I guess we've got a lot of explaining to do!" He said, his glasses flashing in the ship's florescent lighting.

"You certainly have, _Doctor_." Rimmer snarled, speaking the man's name as if it were poison in his mouth.

The Doctor seemed oblivious to the hologram's icy tone, but Rimmer's eyes fluttered to Rose, who's lips were pursed in a frown.

"You're in danger - a _lot_ of danger. Sorry about that!" The Doctor said, a trace of sympathy and guilt passing over his features for a second before it had disappeared in a flash. He was far too intent on his own explanation. "Ever heard of the Weeping Angels?"

The Dwarfers shook their heads in bemused unison.

"Well,they're very VERY dangerous creatures. They're as old as time itself and feed on energy. They've been hunting the TARDIS - that's my ship -" He jabbed a thumb sharply over his shoulder at the tall wooden box looming behind him, "For a long time. They've been trying to feed off it's power."

Lister opened his mouth to contradict, but was stopped in his tracks by Rose, who took a brave step forward.

"I know it may not look like much," She smiled, "But, it really is. I assure you."

Lister nodded and fell back with a shrug.

"Anyway," The Doctor resumed his speech, eager to continue. "Suddenly, the Angels switched courses and went after you instead. We thought it was appropriate to warn you." He said. Rose was gnawing on her lip.

"These creatures - they aren't in my database." Kryten said, annoyed t not having know this information already.

"They're ancient and known throughout the universe as a mere legend." The Doctor said, his lively tone drained from his voice now. All that remained was a darkness that made him slightly intimidating.

"This is ridiculous!" Rimmer cried, making everyone turn and gloat at his sudden outburst. "_Weeping Angels_?" He scoffed. "He's an utter fruitcake! He's cracked! And so's she," He jabbed an accusing finger at Rose. She folded her arms defensively, glaring at him. "I've never heard anything so ludicrous!"

"Look, we're not trying to scare you. We're not trying to fool you either. We're trying to _warn_ you." The Doctor said softly, imploring the Hologram to see reason.

"Look, you can fool them," He cocked a head of mahogany curls towards Lister, Kryten and Cat, causing the metallic 'H' on his forehead to glint madly in the light, "But you're going to have to get up pretty darn early in the A.M. to fool Arnie. J!"

With that, he stormed from the room, not realizing the danger he was now exposed to.

They had arrived. Lightning-quick and lethal to their prey...

The Angels had boarded Red Dwarf.

* * *

_**So that's the end of Chapter one! Chapter two will be coming very shortly!**_

_**Please review!**_

_**RavenclawCookie**_


	2. Taken By Time

_**Hey guys!**_

_**So, as requested, I have written the second chapter to my Doctor Who/Red Dwarf crossover fic! This is a bit of a scary chapter compared to the last one, but I hope you enjoy reading it nevertheless! It focuses mainly on Rimmer's confrontation with the Weeping Angels, so I hope you like it!**_

_**As always, I do NOT own any of the characters in Doctor Who or Red Dwarf. All I own is the plot. **_

_**Please leave a review if you can! I always love to hear what you have to say about my work and I would really appreciate your thoughts, feelings and opinions. **_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**RavenclawCookie** _

* * *

Rimmer stomped moodily through the corridor, his nostrils flared with a burning desire to slap the so-called 'Doctor' round his cheery little face. Who the smeg did he think he was? Cavorting about on _their _ship like he suddenly _owned _the smegging place! Rimmer emitted a long, drawn-out sigh of disapproval and continued through the decks, passing under each red glow of the lights littering the ceiling. _Weeping Angels, _the hologram scoffed mentally, _it was preposterous! _

Rimmer bustled past a pair of scutters, resisting the urge to kick them aside as he made his way into the Captain's quarters (where he and Lister now bunked). His brow was folded into a scowling crease so that the 'H' on his forehead was raised to the light. It glinted for a moment like the dying embers of a flame in the fire before it was extinguished.

So were all the lights.

Darkness enveloped the hologram into its harrowing clutches, causing his heart rate to pump to the brink of expiry until he found himself panting for breath. He had never liked the dark, not since his brothers had trapped him in the airing cupboard for 24 hours without being found. Had the ship's power run out? That was impossible…Holly was dumb but this had never happened before, not even with her poor maintenance of the ship.

"Lister?" He called out feebly, his faint voice disappearing in the stark. "Lister?" He hissed,

_No answer._

Of course, Lister was off gallivanting with that insufferable Doctor. _This is probably all _**his**_ doing_, Rimmer thought bitterly, his eyes blinded by the velvet night, as if shrouded by a thick blindfold of dark matter. He was rooted to the spot, unable to move even a finger. His nostrils flared anxiously and an impossible thought coursed through his mind like a swarm of wasps, causing the curls on the back of his neck to stand on end:

What if it _was_ the Weeping Angels? What if they were aboard Red Dwarf? The Doctor could have been right about everything...

Rimmer shook of the thought with obnoxious nonchalance, raising his head high in the imposing blackness, as if an entire crowd of his favourite historic generals were in the room and this was nothing more than an unfortunate power cut at one of their infamous meetings.

"Holly," He called out in a clear, confident voice. No answer. "HOLLY!" He screamed, losing his cool, calm and collected 'Captain Rimmer' front in an instant, his voice strangled and fearful.

Nothing.

Suddenly, a light flickered on, casting a pale glow upon his petrified features. The monitor of the TV screen that usually occupied Holly's gormless features snapped into life, but instead of Holly's face, the screen bore only static. The monotone lines raced across the monitor, casting odd shadows onto Rimmer's pallid face, that was now twisted and contorted with a demented fear he could not rid himself of.

This was worse than the Polymorph. Far worse.

"Holly?" His voice was barely a whisper now: his vocal chords had been severed by the fear that wracked his entire body, as if by the blunt edge of a knife. A low, unearthly hum rolled out from the speakers, like the droning of a million hornets descending from the nest. The Second Technician's heart hammered wildly in his chest, beating against his ribcage like an inmate behind bars.

The static cleared and the distorted image of a room Rimmer recognised as the drive room formed upon the monitor. Rimmer's brow creased with confusion as he squinted at the grey light that made his eyes ache. There seemed to be a statue stood in the centre, it's arched back facing the surveillance camera. Wing's sprouted from its shoulder blades and a flowing tunic poured like a ghostly waterfall over it's shapeless torso. His elbows jutted out to its side, as though cupping its face in attempt to shield the tears it had been crying. Rimmer's eyes narrowed, trying to make out the distorted image; the figure's face was hidden from view and it was still. Completely still.

_Don't blink._

The Doctor's words seemed to whisper to him through the darkness. Rimmer's eyes began to water with the effort to keep them from closing. The Doctor was right - he was smegging right! They were Weeping Angels and they had boarded Red Dwarf.

He could fight it no longer, the strain on his eyelids were growing and tears obscured his vision. He had fought the urge but it had won; he blinked.

He opened his eyes again, and let out a desperate yelp of horror. The figure on the monitor had _moved_. Rimmer could not believe what he was seeing. This wasn't possible! He had forgotten how to breathe, how to swallow, how to stand…his knees threatened to buckle as the fear washed over him. The statue had turned its head so its cherub-like curls were cast in the light; its hands had moved away from its face, revealing a pair of menacing eyes that intended to show innocence, but all Rimmer saw was terror.

"LISTER!" He cried, knowing his friends could not save him now. Why had he been so stupid? Why had he walked out on the Doctor and his companions before he'd had a chance to explain himself? Because he was a smeghead, that's why! He mentally kicked himself in the ribs for being such a gimboid. He was going to die. He was going to **DIE** and it was all his fault!

But then a thought struck him…

_He was already dead!_

Glee seemed to ooze from every pore in his body; the angels could not touch him, could not grasp him in their gnarled talons of icy stone - they couldn't lay a finger on him! A smile of relief tugged at his lips before another thought of less comfort replaced the last:

Holly had once informed him that even though he was a hologram made entirely of light, he still had a small physical presence: his light beam. His heart seemed to stop in that instant and shatter into a million fragments like a hammer upon glass. It plummeted into the depths of his stomach like a stone from a cliff and he lost all hope. They angels couldn't touch him, but they could touch his light beam, and who knows what would happen?

What would the angels do to him once they found him? An array of foul images streaked through his mind incandescently, illuminated by the stomach-churning horror he felt at each passing thought. Would they erase him from history? Would they transport him to the bowels of hell or torture him in some way? He shuddered at the endless possibilities that were formulating in his harrowed mind.

His eyes returned to the screen and - to his horror - he saw the angel had moved, with seemingly awesome stealth, so that it was merely inches away from the camera, as if it knew Rimmer was watching and were challenging him to look away. Its blank, marble eyes were boring into the hologram's very soul and its face was contorted in a silent scream that would provoke terror in the heart of even the bravest man.

But Rimmer was not the bravest man. In fact, he was far from it.

"LISTER! CAT! KRYTEN!" He screeched, running round aimlessly in the inky blackness, the TV monitor casting only a soft glow upon the room. Rimmer tripped up over his own feet, blundering round, trying to find the door, bidding a desperate attempt for freedom.

Then, the slightest movement sounded behind him. Beads of sweat meandered down Rimmer's raised brow, caking the loose chocolate curls falling in front of his forehead. His heartbeat pulsed wildly in his ears. He ceased all movement, freezing frigidly on the spot.

Like a tortoise peering from the shielded ridge of its shell, Rimmer turned cautiously, his breath tearing from his throat in ragged waves. Peering over his shoulder, not daring to close his burning eyes even for a moment, a terrible sight met his eyes.

His shrill scream tore from his throat, echoing throughout the corridors of Red Dwarf. In that present moment, he ceased to exist. Time seemed to stop in an instant and shift, as if it was rectifying a mistake it had made. A mere chip in the glass of a thousand mirrors; for that's all Arnold Rimmer really was. In that moment, he was transported to the past. Three million years to be exact..

He was gone, possibly forever.

David Lister sat in the torch light, the pale, luminous glow of the battery-powered bulb lighting up his face like a beacon. Kryten and Cat were huddled in a corner, whilst the Doctor and Rose were sitting nearby, shining the torches in every direction, daring the Angels to strike. This power cut wasn't a coincidence, it was all the Angels' bidding.

Then, they heard the scream.

It sounded to them through the darkness like a blade wheeling at their heartstrings and slicing them in two. The Cat and Kryten blanched violently, whilst Lister's heart plummeted in his chest, hitting the pit of his stomach as the realisation dawned on him; he would know that cowardly cry anywhere...

"They've got Rimmer!" He yelped, jumping to his feet.

The Doctor's eyes were wide and his trainers squeaked nosily upon the metal floorboards as he paced back and forth, his brow creased in a troubled expression. Suddenly, he threw the torch with all his might in a fit of rage. It shattered into a million pieces, the bulb flickering and extinguishing pathetically, reducing the light cast upon them. He ran a hand through his mahogany hair and gripped it tightly, his fists clenched with rage. Then, he raised his head to look Lister in the eyes and suddenly, he no longer appeared young; he looked as if he were carrying the burden of 900 years upon his shoulders.

"I'm sorry. Hes gone."

* * *

_**C****hapter three will be coming soon, guys!**_

_**Please leave a review, I would really appreciate it.**_

_**RavenclawCookie**_


	3. A Window To The Past

_**Hey guys!**_

_**I apologise once again for the wait, but I'm afraid other factors in my life have kept me extremely busy so I haven't been able to update in a while. Hopefully this chapter will make up for it! **_

_**So, the plot's beginning to thicken a little more now and in the next few chapters, you may even witness a romance blossoming (?). We'll see...**_

_**Anyway, as always, I do not own ANYTHING. I do not own 'Red Dwarf' or 'Doctor Who', nor their characters. The only thing I own in this story is the plot.**_

_**Please remember to leave a review if you can, guys! I always love getting feedback from you and seeing what you all think of my work.**_

_**Happy reading!**_

_**RavenclawCookie**_

* * *

"No, no, no…this can't be happening!" David Lister cried, just as Holly had overridden the switches and managed to get the lights up and running once more. Lister sat with his head cradled in his clenched fists, surrounded by the Doctor and the others.

Kryten was in pieces; despite his 'dislike' chip often reaching overload in response to the ship's resident hologram, he was beginning to miss Rimmer's snide remarks already. "I'm so sorry, Mr Lister." He blubbed, his voice unusually high-pitched with the effort to keep himself from bursting into a fit of uncontrollable tears. "Is there anyway we could get him back, Mr Doctor, Sir?" He looked to the Doctor with expectant hope gleaming in his metallic eyes.

The Doctor shook his head, guilt emanating from every pore of his body. Despite Rimmer's rather icy attitude towards the Time Lord, he still felt unbelievably responsible for the hologram's disappearance. The burden of the Weeping Angel's attack weighed heavily upon his shoulders, which were becoming frail as time wore on and he became responsible for the loss of companion after companion…

"We have to get him back, there must be a way!" Kryten wailed, his mouth hanging open in an echoing sob.

The Doctor placed a sympathetic hand of sorrow upon the mechanoid's shoulder, his previously bright and lively features now possessing a rather gaunt, solemn appearance. Kryten continued to sob tearlessly, regardless of his peer's disapproval.

"Calm down, Kryten. Your circuit boards will rust." Lister snapped at the mechanoid, anger blazing in his onyx eyes. "We need to _think_."

The Cat was perched delicately upon a precarious stack of storage boxes behind Lister, filing his nails and not conveying even the slightest sliver of emotion for Rimmer's untimely departure. "Who cares, bud? No one ever liked Goal Post Head in the first place! It's no big loss!"

"Cat," Lister snarled, "As much as I hate to say it - he's me best mate! I can't just leave him in the past. Holly put him here to keep me sane; God knows what'll happen without him. I'll go berserk!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air, his eyes darting angrily to the still-bawling Kryten before returning to the un-phased Cat.

The Cat sighed vainly, pursing his lips and emitting a gentle wave of hot breath onto his hands, so that the breeze lightly kissed the tips of his perfectly-manicured fingernails. He didn't care for Rimmer, he never had experienced even the slightest piece of affection for the neurotic hologram and the almost bored expression on his feline features bore no remorse. "Look, I think we're better off without him." He shrugged carelessly, his leather-clad legs swinging gracefully over the pile of boxes.

"But we can't just leave him in the past!" Kryten wailed, protesting loudly. "My duty is to serve a human and ensure their safety, no matter how crazy and annoying they are!"

"Kryten, it wasn't your fault the angels captured Rimmer." Rose piped up, reassuring Kryten with a sympathetic smile.

"If only there was a window to the past - a sort of time warp on board that allowed us to somehow find Rimmer and bring him back." The Doctor thought aloud, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.

Lister jumped to his feet, his eyes wide with a sudden realisation that dawned upon him at the Doctor's thought-provoking words. His eyes were alight with happiness and the words tumbled from his mouth in euphoric excitement. "Stasis leak!"

The group turned simultaneously and gawped at him curiously. "What?" They chorused.

"The Stasis Leak on Floor Sixteen! The one we went through that time to try and get Kochanski back!" He glanced at the Cat, whose eyes lit up at the memory.

"Oh yeah!" Cat grinned, revealing a pearly set of razor-sharp teeth. "I remember, Bud!"

"The only problem is…" Lister's face fell and his smile vanished. "We can't bring anything back with us. If we found Rimmer and tried to bring him back through the portal, he'd be turned to dust…"

The Doctor moved so that he was face-to-face with Lister. "We'll get him back, I promise. Take me to the Stasis Leak." He wound his hand around Rose's protectively as Lister, Kryten and the Cat sped off down the corridor.

* * *

_Floor Sixteen._

The gloom of the corridor lit only by the red glow of the ship ensnared the quintet in its eerie grasp. The opal spectrum of the Stasis Leak reached them from the corridor's rear, burning brighter than a supernova.

"Here it is." Lister announced, sprinting across to the pulsating portal with childish eagerness. Releasing Rose's hand, the Doctor followed quickly in his wake, his eyes alight with an almost innocent curiosity.

"Blimey," The Doctor's handsome face split into a boyish grin. "Oh that is brilliant. Rose, come and have a look at this." He ushered her over to him with a frantic waving of his right hand, not taking his eyes off the wondrous spectacle that seemed to enchant him.

An impenetrable silence filled the air at the Doctor's call.

"Rose?" The Doctor tore his gaze away from the Stasis Leak, his eyes now filled with panic. The space in which Rose had previously stood merely meters away from the Cat and Kryten was now empty.

The angels were here.

"_ROSE_!" The Doctor cried, panic flooding his veins like a burst riverbank. His blood ran cold and his knees threatened to buckle.

"Sir, they've taken her!" Kryten, wide-eyed with panic, flailed aimlessly round the corridor. "What do we do?! First Mr Rimmer, now...Miss Rose!" He broke into peals of echoing, robotic sobs.

Lister grasped the babbling mechanoid by the shoulders, calming him with an assuring glare. "Kryten, calm down!" He yelled.

"Oh, this is bad, bud." Cat sniffled, his perfect eyebrows curved towards the bridge of his nose in a frown of fear.

"We have to find her!" The Doctor growled, his dark eyes ablaze with determination, desperation and even the slightest hint of fear. He feared for Rose's safety, his twin hearts thudding rhythmically in his ears. "I need to make sure she's safe."

Lister nodded in understanding. He patted the Doctor's shoulder, catching the hint of pain in those wise eyes of molten bronze. They knew so much agony, so much pent up rage and frustration that did not show in his bubbly, energetic aura. "We're going to get Rose back. And Rimmer." He was the one assuring the Time-Lord now.

An unbreakable determination had now overridden the fearful pain in the Doctor's eyes and with a single nod, he straightened himself up, gave each one of his comrades a lingering glance before he stepped with daring confidence through the void of swirling matter and passed through the veil fearlessly to the other side.

Lister's mouth fell open, his eyes wide with admiration for the Dwarfer's new companion - he was, in all respect, their saviour. The solitary warrior had plunged through the vortex without a moment's hesitation and he had won Lister's approval in doing so. Inspired and filled with the Doctor's infectious confidence, Lister followed in the Time-Lord's wake. Kryten and Cat watched as Lister disappeared through the pulsing veil. They exchanged a worried glance before plummeting after him.

The only problem was, the Weeping Angels weren't far behind.

* * *

Rimmer felt his feet hit solid ground. His lungs released a gush of relief and his eyes tore open. He recognised the familiar crimson glow of the ship's interior as his surroundings became clear to him. He was on Red Dwarf.

He was still on Red Dwarf!

Relief flooded his Holographic veins like a the smooth pressing of a plunger releasing soul-soothing liquid into his body. His forehead was caked in sweat, his wiry curls misshapen with terror.

The angels were gone.

Where they had been seconds before, reaching out for him, trying to ensnare him in their stone talons, was now empty space. His face split into a wide lop-sided grin. He was okay! He was going to be okay…

That was until he saw a tall, shadowed figure turn onto the corridor he was on. The sinew of his muscles tightened and his ceased the ability to move. His heart raced and his brow furrowed as the familiar frame of the figure approached. Clad in a pair of sunshine-yellow overalls embroidered with the official emblem of the Space Corps, polished onyx boots of ankle height and carrying a clipboard in his thin hands, the figure drew ever closer. Rimmer recognised the wiry curls piled atop the figure's head with horror; the familiar flared nostrils and lanky legs…

It was him.

Arnold Rimmer was striding towards him, unaware of the holographic version of himself frozen to the spot merely inches away.

Rimmer was checking off various points on the list clipped neatly to the board resting upon his forearm, completely oblivious to the petrified hologram dithering madly on the spot. His forehead was absent of the trademark metallic 'H'; The angels had transported him to a time where he was not dead.

"Excuse me." Rimmer said carelessly, barging past without even looking up at the Hologram, who let out a sigh of relief as he passed. He stood, immobilized momentarily by what he had just witnessed before bolting in the opposite direction.

He had to hide.

The question was: where? And how long did he have to spend here, bearing in mind that there was no possible way for the others to find him?

He curled up in a ball behind one of the boilers, burying his face in his crossed arms resting gently on his quaking knees. Helpless sobs wracked his frail body and digital tears streamed down his face as he wished against his will that he'd stayed with the others and actually _listened_ to the Doctor.

* * *

**_Hope you enjoyed! Chapter 4 will hopefully be coming your way very soon guys - watch this space._**

**_RavenclawCookie_**


	4. Crossing Pathways

_**Hey guys!**_

_**I'm so sorry this has taken so long to write and publish, but I've been incredibly busy as of late. However, it is now summer, which means I have plenty more time to get the next few chapters of this fanfic complete for you!**_

_**I really hope you don't mind and you enjoy this chapter despite the fact you've probably all forgotten the storyline by now. **_

_**Anyways, as always I do not own Red Dwarf or Doctor Who or their characters. The only thing I own is the storyline! I own NOTHING ELSE. **_

_**As I said, you guys might be able to spot the beginnings a romance blossoming in this next chapter, but I have plans for this very brief liaison to leave one character very disappointed. **_

_**Please leave a review of this chapter if you can - you know I always love receiving your wonderful feedback on my work.**_

_**Happy reading!**_

_**Love,**_

_**RavenclawCookie**_

* * *

Rose collapsed to her knees, eyes wide with terror as her surroundings finally materialized around her. She felt as if she'd been stuck in purgatory for a million years, even though, in reality, it had been barely a second since her feet had left the ground. Now, they thudded back down to solid earth. Her heart thudded wildly in her chest, so much so that she could hear it's beat pounding against the blood vessels in her eardrums. She wanted to call out to the Doctor, call out his name in the hope that he would come running round the corner, sweep her up into his arms and take her back to the TARDIS, safe once more.

She knew it was no use, however. As much as her heart ached for him, she knew he would never come. She longed to see his untidy chestnut hair, his pin-striped suit and muddy sneakers. She longed so see his cheerful, happy grin and thick, rectangular glasses framing his handsome face. She would have done anything, then, to wrap her arms around his tall, slim frame and hold him until eternity tore them apart…

But she couldn't. A horrible thought dawned on her as she rose to a standing position, absorbing the familiar appearance of her surroundings: would she ever see him again?

Stealing herself into the shadows, she heard footsteps, clonking noisily upon the metal tiles as they approached her hiding place. Breath escaping her full, rosy lips in ragged waves, she clamped a hand over them to shield the sound.

"Eight weeks PD! How come I get eight weeks and you get only two? What did I do to deserve that? What did I do?" The voice sounded vexed as the unknown person rounded the corner. Rose's brow furrowed when his angered tones reached her ears. She knew that voice…

"You shouldn't have stuck your pencil up his nose!" The second set of footsteps protested. Rose's heart gave a nasty jolt as some sense of familiarity triggered within her. Her breathing grew heavier at that definite twang of a Scouse accent and in that moment, she knew:

It was Lister.

Peering round the wall, she saw the two mean approaching, still bickering madly with one another. The taller of the two was slim and dressed in a sunshine-yellow jumpsuit, his nostrils flared with angst. There was something different Rose noticed about Rimmer as he and Lister charged up the corridor - she just couldn't quite put her finger on it. They passed her hiding spot without so much as a glance in her direction. Sighing with relief, Rose turned on her heel and followed in pursuit, making as much effort as possible not to be heard.

She watched as they paused beside a dispensing machine, Lister reaching out and jabbing the button with his finger. "Two teas." He said carelessly. Just then, a man barged past them, swiftly dodging the pair before racing down the corridor.

"Excuse me."

He almost collided with Rose, who narrowly dodged him in her haste to hide from Lister and Rimmer. She caught a glance of his face, and a flash of metallic silver upon his forehead distracted her. Her brow furrowed…she knew him, too. Just how far back in time had she actually gone? She had to talk to Rimmer and tell him about his future…but how? And what consequence would it have if she unveiled the truth? She thought about her run-in with the Reapers, and how the terrifying beasts had torn a wormhole in time when she had brushed the head of her baby self in a trip to the past. She shuddered - the consequences of that seemingly inadequate event were catastrophic; she couldn't let that happen again.

But Rose knew she had to do something, otherwise Rimmer's life would be in jeopardy and he would be imprisoned somewhere in the past forever.

She didn't know what to do. Before she knew it, Rimmer and Lister had moved on once more. Skipping after them, she ducked, dodged and weaved through crowds of people, in order to follow in their wake. Watching over the heads of a gaggle of unmoving Space Corps minors, she saw Lister and Rimmer part ways with a frosty farewell. Taking her chance, she barged through the crowd and followed Rimmer. She jogged to catch up with him, throwing caution to the winds, she called out his name:

"Rimmer!"

Brow furrowed in a curious frown, Rimmer skidded to a stand-still and turned on his heel to face her. "Sorry, do I know you?"

Panting, Rose's face was solemn. She looked at his forehead. _No 'H'_.

He was human.

Momentarily stunned, Rose's brain worked overtime to process what this meant. From what the Doctor had told her, a radiation leak had wiped out the crew and the radiation aboard the ship hadn't been safe until 3 million years after the accident. Her heart plummeted into the icy depths of her churning stomach. She gulped.

She was 3 million years into the past.

"…Hello? Hello? Look, Missy, are you even awake? I'm a very busy man and…"

Rose cut across his mindless driveling. "Oh, sorry…I can see you're busy." She said quickly. "Uh…bye!" With that, she turned and sped off in the opposite direction as fast as her legs would take her.

Rimmer watched her go, utterly bemused.

Rose just couldn't bring herself to say it: she simply couldn't push herself to tell him what the future held. _Never mind_, she thought as she passed other members of the Space Corps, walking blindly in whatever direction her feet drove her to. _I'll tell him soon enough_. Besides, Rose had no idea how long she'd be stuck in the past. How long would it be until the Doctor, Cat and Kryten found her and brought her back to the present, if at all?

"Excuse me!"

Rose turned and sighed upon realizing it was Rimmer, bolting down the corridor after her.

"Yes?" She said, trying to keep herself composed. Perhaps this was her chance? But when she looked at him, she knew now wasn't the time to tell him that if he didn't listen to a 900-year-old man with two hearts who travels through Space and Time in a Police Box he would end up being sent into the past by some evil moving statues. Besides, would he even believe her? Somehow, she doubted he would.

"I was thinking - look, my apologies for being such a gimboid. Forgive me? It's just I have a lot of very important jobs to do. Perhaps you could meet me in my quarters tonight? Say…eight-ish?" Rimmer said, fumbling through his words as if he were reading them religiously from a poorly written script.

Rose smiled slightly, he wasn't great with women, was he? "Sure." Instead of seeing this as a chance for him to get in her pants (the way he obviously did), she saw this as the perfect opportunity to explain to him that he was, quite literally, doomed if he didn't do something about it.

Rimmer was stunned. "R-really?" He was ecstatic. Girls never, ever agreed to go on any sort of date with him. It was such a rarity it was no longer a rarity - it was merely a very improbable phenomenon that happened once in a blue moon. Suppressing his triumph with a wide grin, he nodded briskly and said: "Brilliant! I'll see you then…"

"Ok," Rose flashed him a smile.

Rimmer turned to go but caught himself and turned back to face her. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Rose Tyler." She affirmed with a smile.

Rimmer extended a hand; "Nice to meet you, Miss Tyler." He said pleasantly.

Rose chuckled, finding him strangely charming. "Nice to meet you too, Mr Rimmer."

Saying nothing more, Rimmer strutted down the corridor, a spring of confidence in his step as he bounded past others to get to his quarters. After the disastrous meeting with Captain Hollister this morning, things were finally looking up for old Arnie J.

Rose shook her head, smiling to herself as she watched him go. But then, as the thought of telling him about his future dawned upon her, the upturned corners of her mouth twitched then fell, drooping like the arched stem of a wilting flower. She began rehearsing what she would say in her head, pacing the corridor like a deranged woman…but nobody seemed to notice her. Every version of her story seemed even more dreadful, dramatic and preposterous than the last.

Sighing inwardly, she leant against one of the boilers, her head swimming with the stress of it all. Mopping her brow with the back of her hand, she brushed a few stray strands of ash-blonde hair from her young face.

How would she tell him?

Just when it seemed all hope was lost, she felt the whisper of a movement behind her and a voice reached her through the shady gloom of the large boiler tank.

"_Rose_?"

Scrambling away from the cylinder, wide-eyed and panicked by their abrupt appearance, she challenged them to make themselves seen by shouting:

"Who's there?!"

Nothing. Rose pursed her lips, waiting for the coward to show himself. How the hell did he know her name when she didn't even belong in this time period? The only person aboard this vessel who had any inkling as to who she was had just strode away from her in a pair of yellow overalls. This was impossible.

"Come out of the shadows, now you coward. Show yourself." Rose snarled, her voice as deadly and poisonous as a Viper's sting.

He emerged from behind them metal cylinder, tear tracks fresh on his Holographic face, the green metallic sheen of his Space Corps tunic glimmering under the dim glow of the ship's light. His deep eyes of molten bronze were glossy with tears, red and raw round the edges from crying. The heat of the boiler had plastered the chocolate-brown curls to his forehead, which was complete with the 'H' emblazoned across the pale skin just above his raised brow. Rose's mouth fell open, heart racing, head spinning…he was here too? The Angels had transported them back to the same time…

But how?

"Rose?" He whispered again.

"_Rimmer_?"

* * *

**_Hope you enjoyed that, guys! Don't worry, chapter five will be on its way shortly. _**

**_Until then: smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast._**

**_RavenclawCookie_**


	5. Running From the Truth

_**Hey guys!**_

_**I'm sorry this has taken a while to update again. Many things have been getting in my way of writing recently, but I hope you guys don't mind and continue to enjoy my story.**_

_**Anyways, as always I do not own Red Dwarf or Doctor Who or their characters. The only thing I own is the storyline! I own NOTHING ELSE. **_

_**Okay, so the next chapter will be the OFFICIAL romance chapter. This is kind of the build up. Chapter 6 is already on it's way, so it won't be long until it's posted. I promise!  
**_

_**Please leave a review of this chapter if you can - you know I always love receiving your wonderful feedback on my work.**_

_**The feedback so far has been so amazing, I just wanted to thank all of you guys for taking the time to read my story so far and for putting up with my back timekeeping. **_

_**Happy reading!**_

_**Love,**_

_**RavenclawCookie**_

* * *

Through the Stasis Leak they went. The Doctor, Kryten and Cat scrambled through the wormhole, the pulsating opal spectrum momentarily blinding them as they passed through the portal. There was desperation glimmering in the Doctor's dark eyes as he tore through to the other side.

The Doctor's determination momentarily faltered however when he emerged into the men's showers aboard Red Dwarf. Averting his gaze, he slipped through the shower curtains, motioning wordlessly for Cat and Kryten to follow him.

Cat gave the man underneath the shower head a feline grin, his sharp teeth protruding over his lips. "Sorry about that, bud. We'll just be going now..." With a spring in his step, he pounced after Kryten and the Doctor.

"Mr Doctor, Sir…we can't be seen! Especially Mr. Lister! Remember, his past self still exists here and if he sees himself well…" Kryten fumbled over his words, playing anxiously with his hands.

"It's alright, Kryten. I know what I'm doing." The Doctor assured him with a brief smile.

Lister cocked his head curiously at the mysterious man, squinting at his chiselled, handsome features, he was somehow reminded of someone. A smile curved the corners of his mouth as he realised what the likeness was: the Doctor reminded him of a much less flash version of Ace Rimmer. Brave, good-looking, smart and dangerously daring, Lister couldn't help but compare the two heroes. Sure, the Doctor was much more modest and less flamboyant in his adventures than good old Ace, but still, Lister was filled with nostalgia as he followed in the Doctor's wake.

The Cat clamped a hand down on the Doctor's shoulder as they passed through corridor after corridor, Lister pulling his jacket over his face to shield it from passers by. The Doctor stopped and turned as they passed through the shadows, trying not to be seen.

"I hate to be a buzz-kill, Bud. But I think we've got company!"

They turned and their mouths gaped in horror.

Rimmer was storming towards them, clad in his ship-issue yellow jumpsuit, brown eyes blazing with fury, fixated on Lister.

Lister recoiled, eyes wide. What was he going to do? Trying to compose himself, forcing lips to break into his best fake careless smile, he took a drag from his cigarette and tried to remain calm.

Rimmer drew to a halt before Lister, hands resting indignantly on his hips. "Lister - just what the hell to you think you are doing? I've just told you to go and fix the chicken soup dispenser on floor 23 and here you are standing around with your mates." He spat, his eyes flickering disapprovingly to the Cat, Kryten and the Doctor.

"Eh…sorry Rimmer." Lister murmured awkwardly.

"Well you should be," Rimmer rolled his eyes exasperatedly, hands on hips. About to turn to his clipboard, he stopped and his eyes widened dramatically. "Is that a cigarette you're smoking, too? Well, Lister…"

"Oh shut it, Rimmer." Lister snapped, giving the others a look of utter helplessness. "I'll go and fix the dispenser, alright?"

"I should think so, too," Rimmer said, folding his arms across his chest triumphantly. "I'm sure your _friends_ here," He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Can be without you for a few hours."

Kryten, the Doctor and the Cat were about to protest angrily when Lister held up his hand, as if swatting away their urge to argue. "Yeah, sure." He said casually, before turning his back on Rimmer and speaking to them in a hushed undertone. "Now listen, he won' listen to yeh, so don't bother tryin' to tell him anything' about the future yet."

They nodded.

"So what now?" The Cat asked, eyes narrowed into feline slits.

"We attempt to find wherever the hell Rose is." The Doctor said. "I don't know how, but if we can find any trace of her aboard this ship in the past, we could finally get somewhere with this."

"And remember, Mr Lister," Kryten said in an undertone, wringing his glove-like hands together anxiously. "Make sure you do not cross paths with yourself, whatever you do."

Lister nodded. He wasn't about to make life any more difficult for himself. They were here to find Rose and Rimmer and that was that. He wasn't about to complicate things any further by finding himself in a run-in with his past-self. With a final nod to the others, he strode off with Rimmer down the corridor. The others listened as their bickering voices faded into the distance.

"Okay, let's go." The Doctor said, taking charge of the situation. "Allons-y!" He cried and sped off in the opposite direction. The Cat and Kryten glanced at each other, momentarily bemused before following in his wake.

* * *

Rose swallowed hard. What was Rimmer - the present Rimmer, the Rimmer from 3 million years in the future - doing here? How had they been transported to the same place by the Weeping Angels?

"What - how?" Rimmer exclaimed, rising to his feet. His hazel eyes were wide with utter disbelief. He had never been so extremely glad to see another human being in all his life.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," She breathed, tucking a loose strand of sunshine hair behind her ear.

Rimmer paused for a moment before, hesitantly, he smiled weakly. "It's great to see you."

Shocked by his sudden pleasantness, Rose returned his smile. She could see him trembling and felt a wave of sympathy crash over her. "You too… are you alright?"

"I've just been attacked by a group of creepy looking angels who transported me 3 million years into the past, so, not really." He said, his usual sarcastic self apparent in his tone.

"I know how you feel," Rose sighed, gnawing anxiously on the inside of her lip.

"They got you too?!" Rimmer cried, wrinkling his nose in disbelief. "Well…where are the others?"

"They tried to get through the Stasis Leak on Floor Sixteen. That was just before the angels got me." Rose explained.

Rimmer cast his eyes to the floor, shaking his head softly. "I don't believe this…what if they can't find us? That Stasis Leak only goes to one period in time…"

Rose cut him off, holding up her hand to silence him. "Let's not think like that. They'll find us. I don't know how but they will. This isn't just anyone, this is the Doctor. He saves everyone." She said, her heart swelling with pride at the thought of him.

"Oh yeah? Then why the hell are we here? If this Doctor guy of yours is so great then why are we even in this mess in the first place?" Rimmer snapped, anger sparking up like a flame in a dancing fire in his hazel eyes.

"Because you were stupid enough to go running off without listening to him!" Rose snapped, hands on her hips indignantly.

Rimmer admitted defeat, his face falling when the truth met his ears. "Ah." He said simply, feeling embarrassed.

"Anyway, I'm just about to go and tell your past self to not go running off when he sees the Doctor three million years later and not to be such an obnoxious prat." She scalded, her eyes burning with anger as she looked at Rimmer.

'Alright, alright," Rimmer retaliated hotly. "He - I mean, _I_ - won't believe you. I've just recovered from a very unhealthy dosage of magic mushrooms given to me by none other than one David Lister and I seem to believe that anything slightly weird or crazy is an illusion. Believe me, I've tried reasoning with me when I came here before, I won't listen."

Rose' brow was furrowed in confusion. Struggling to make sense of it all, she simply shook her head, denying his words. "I don't care. He - I mean _you_ - have got to believe me." She said stubbornly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Fine," Rimmer sighed, rolling his eyes. "But don't blame me when you come back here covered in green paint. That's what I did to Captain Hollister when I thought he was some weird chicken remnant of the mushroom illusions coming back to haunt me."

Rose shook her head so that her mane of ash-blonde hair fell across her bright eyes. "I doubt you're going to think I'm an illusion."

"And why is that?" Rimmer said, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"Because," She said sternly, "I've already met your former self and arranged a date with him, tonight at eight o'clock."

Rimmer's mouth fell open. His brow creased in confusion then smoothed out again; after several attempts at speaking, a few meagre words finally escaped his lips. "You - on a date…with me?" He stammered.

Rose nodded briskly. "Yes. But it's strictly business," She said, pursing her lips. "So you can close your mouth and stop looking so pleased with yourself because it's purely to save your arse from getting into this mess." She said, stopping him in his tracks.

With all hopes expired, Rimmer nodded sadly and tried to compose himself. "Very well," He murmured, his cheeks flooding with a crimson hue. "What happens in the mean time?"

Rose shrugged, her teeth clenching down on the plush pink flesh of her bottom lip anxiously. "Well, I guess you just try and stay out of sight for now, until I sort this out."

Rimmer nodded, signalling that he understood. It wasn't ideal for him to sit hunched up behind a boiler for the next couple of hours, but for the good of his future, it would suffice.

"I'll see you later, ok? Whatever you do, don't be seen." Rose said. Looking into his eyes, she gave him a warm, reassuring smile before she turned her heel and fled down the corridor, walking briskly in the direction of the lifts, her golden hair flying out behind her.

She wondered, as she clambered into one of the express lifts headed for the higher levels, if there were any means of her getting back to their time. I mean sure, if she convinced Rimmer's former self to listen, he'd be safe and secure and return back to the present in an instant. But what about her? Was there any way for her to get back home? She prayed the Doctor found them with an answer and soon, but until then, she had to focus on her date.

She wondered how the Second Technician would take the news and she willed him to believe her. Running the words she would say to him back and forth through her mind as she fixed her messy mane of golden hair, she promised herself that she would make Rimmer believe her. _Whatever it takes,_ she thought, determined and convinced that her plans would work.

_Whatever it takes._

* * *

**_Chapter 6 will be on it's way very soon!_**

**_Hope you enjoyed it guys!_**

**_Any reviews are welcome and thanks for reading!_**

**_RavenclawCookie_**


	6. Seeing Reason

_**Hey guys!**_

_**So I'm pretty proud of myself that I got this chapter finished as quickly as possible. I didn't want to keep you guys waiting much longer for this. **_

_**This chapter was really fun to write and it's finally the 'romance' chapter, which is quite a rare thing in Red Dwarf, especially for poor old Rimmer.** _

**_Anyways, as always I do not own Red Dwarf or Doctor Who, nor do I own the characters in them. The only thing I own here is the plot, NOTHING ELSE._**

**_Please leave a review if you can guys! I always love hearing what you think about my work and I've really loved all of your feedback so far!_**

**_I hope you like this chapter and if all goes well, chapter 7 shouldn't be too far away!_**

**_RavenclawCookie_**

* * *

Rose ran a hand through her ash-blonde hair as she headed through the ship's corridors towards Rimmer's quarters. Nervous, she ran her prepared speech in her head once more, just to be safe. She didn't want to sound like a total idiot, but I suppose when you're trying to explain the consequences of someone's future to their past selves, it's hard not to. Satisfied, she fiddled with the zip on her electric-blue jacket and gazed around the corridor. It was almost 8pm, and people still roamed the ship freely. Most of them were headed to some sort of disco going on upon the floor above. The faintest 'thump' of a disco beat could be heard through the walls. Rose wondered vaguely if she could belong here, if she weren't so tied down with the Doctor's travels. She imagined herself, an officer on the mining ship Red Dwarf and to be honest, it didn't seem so bad. Then she thought of the radiation leak that had hit the crew like an atomic bomb and she grimaced. No thanks. Maybe it wasn't for her after all.

Rose dodged some Skutters that trundled past before she arrived at Rimmer's quarters. She read the sign just for confirmation and self-assurance:

_Second technician Arnold J. Rimmer_

_AND_

_Third technician David Lister._

Assured, she rapped her knuckles in a soft rhythmic beat a couple of times. After a short pause, there came a voice from inside.

"Come in!"

Rose brought her palm down on the touch-pad outside the door. As soon her fingers made contact with it, the ocean grey door slid open.

She was greeted by the sight of Arnold Judas Rimmer standing with his back to her, gazing into the mirror. His chestnut curls were slicked back and his yellow overalls were gone, instead replaced by his beige regulation Space Corps uniform. He turned on his heel upon seeing her heart-shaped face peering at him in the doorway from behind.

"Hello, Rose." He said, flashing her his best smile.

Rose gulped. Swallowing hard, she realised that Rimmer must have assumed this was a _real_ date. Mentally kicking herself for not making herself more clear, she smiled winningly back.

"Hello…Arnold." She said, casting her eyes to the floor awkwardly.

"Oh, please, call me Arnie," Rimmer offered casually, drawing up a seat for her at the table in the center of the room. "Or…Ace."

Rose struggled to stifle a chuckle. Ace? Transforming an attack of giggles into a large coughing fit by clutching her chest in mock agony, she smiled. "Okay, Arnie."

Un-phased, Rimmer smiled warmly.

"So…" He asked, looking round the room searching for ideas for topics to talk about. A girl had finally agreed to go on a date with him, in _his _quarters. He really didn't want to screw this up. "You're a girl."

Rose rolled her eyes, growing tired of the small talk already. "Rim- I mean, Arnie. There's something I need to talk to you about. It's kind of…urgent."

"Oh?" Rimmer said, cocking an eyebrow at her in surprise. "What is it?"

"It's…it's about you." Rose said, balling her hands together and fiddling with them anxiously in her lap. Would he believe her?

Before she could continue, however, Rimmer cut across her, his face drooping like a wilted flower, the corners of his mouth sagging in a disappointed frown. "Oh God…" He mumbled, rising from his seat and pacing the room, feeling ridiculous. "I know what you're going to say, so you don't have to bother."

Rose's smooth brow creased in an expression of pure confusion. What was he talking about? "What?" She said, exasperated that he had interrupted her. She just wanted to get this out of the way.

"I should never have even thought for a moment that a girl, a really pretty girl, would want to actually go on a date with me. You're probably going to tell me how lovely it would have been to stay, but you're busy and you've got other plans." He said, casting his eyes to the floor and shaking his head softly, embarrassed.

"No!" Rose cried, rising from her seat suddenly and making Rimmer whirl round in surprise. "No, that's not it at all." She assured him, running a hand through her golden hair. "I'm not going anywhere." She said firmly.

Suddenly, Rimmer's expression brightened, his nostrils flared with excitement and his hazel eyes danced with relief. "Oh, well, that's ok then!" He said, chuckling softly. He pretended to mop his brow, brushing his palm across his forehead with mock relief.

Rose smiled, but only slightly. She needed to tell him. It was now or never. He opened his mouth to make another stupid comment, but before the words could leave his lips, she stopped him.

"The real reason I'm here," She blurted out, fiddling awkwardly with the cuff on her midnight blue leather jacket, unable to meet his gaze. "Is about you. And what's going to happen to you if you don't listen to me."

A pause. Rimmer's smile faded and he grimaced, shaking his head. "I've had enough of this for one day - can't you damn illusions leave me alone? I'm going to kill Lister!"

"No!" She said, her hand flying out and grasping his forearm tightly. "Look, this is _important_." She implored, her voice strained, trying to make him see. "Listen to me!" She cried.

Rimmer's gaze met hers and he stopped, falling utterly silent.

Taking her chance, Rose composed herself before continuing as calmly as possible; "In 3 million years, you'll meet a man called the Doctor. I'll be there too. Whatever you do, _listen to him_." She breathed, her grip on his wrist tightening with every word. Rimmer's brow curved and dipped towards the bridge of his long nose before smoothing out again, wondering if this girl was telling the truth or simply insane.

"Why? What'll happen to me?" He said, his voice soft. He couldn't believe he was actually finding himself believing her. Surely she was just a result of Lister spiking his breakfast with a very powerful dose of drugs.

"If you don't go wandering of like a complete and total prat then you'll be trapped in the past forever. There's no way back." She said, eyes ablaze.

"And why should I believe you?" Rimmer sneered, narrowing his eyes into feline slits sceptically.

"Because!" Rose yelled, infuriated by his refusal to believe. "I'm not just some illusion from your stupid magic mushrooms!"

"They weren't my mushrooms they were Lister's and-"

"I don't care!" Rose bellowed. "What matters is, if you don't listen to the Doctor in the future, then you'll never get back to the present. The Angels will take you." She said, the volume of her voice deteriorating with every word like a crescendo.

Rimmer looked at her for the space of a heartbeat before he shook his head. "Angels? The Doctor?" He snatched his wrist free from her grasp. "What kind of deranged smegger do you take me for?" He said, eyes burning with anger.

"I'd call you a deranged smegger if you didn't listen to me!" Rose snapped, letting her arm fall loosely to her side, rejected.

Silence fell across the room, Rose's voice echoing in the wordless stark. "Please…" She said, looking into his eyes.

Rimmer rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Look, Rose," He spat, his tone poisonous, like the vicious arsenic of a viper's sting. 'Nothing you can say or do will make me believe you." He said, folding his arms across his chest with firm finality.

Rose took a step back, ready to admit defeat, when a light seemed to go off in her mind, illuminating her thoughts like a beacon. A smile touched the corners of her lips when she realised he was wrong. There _was_ one thing she could do to make him see reason.

Abruptly, her hands flew out to grasp the sides of his face. Closing the gap between them, she shifted her body so that it rested against his as she raised her lips and sent them crashing down upon his.

Rimmer was so shocked that for a moment, his eyes bulged with surprise, but soon, as her lips worked against his, he sunk in to the wonderful feeling - a feeling that only came once in a blue moon in his life. Losing himself in the kiss, his hanging limply at his sides, Rimmer suddenly found himself believing every word she'd uttered.

Rose didn't feel anything but pity for him as her lips pressed against his. She felt sorry for him, knowing that this probably meant more to him than it did to her, but what else could she do? She had the Doctor, after all. And she loved him irrevocably and unequivocally. As her fingers worked through the wiry curls of his hair, she felt his hands place themselves with gentlemanly care upon the small of her back. She wanted to pull away, but somehow, she could not seem to break the kiss.

After a while, she drew the strength from within herself to pull herself away. Her lips left his and their bodies departed company. Rimmer's cheeks were pinched with scarlet and he was flustered. So flustered he could barely talk.

"Okay…' He whispered, his breath escaping his tingling lips in shallow waves. "I believe you."

Rose gave a satisfied smile. Her hands fell to her sides, freeing themselves from his hair that was now tousled and messy. "Good. You'll thank me one day." She chuckled quietly.

"Rose?" Came a voice from behind. Rose felt her heart skip a beat. She knew that voice. Whirling round, her lips spread wide into a grin. Her heart swelled relief at the sight of him; the Doctor. There he stood, his chocolate locks messy, his dark eyes wide and frantic. He held out his arms to her and she ran to him, accepting his wordless invitation without question.

She fell into the Doctor's arms, leaving Rimmer alone in the corner of the room, his thin face scarlet with embarrassment, his eyes fixed upon the floor, unmoving.

"I thought I'd never see you again!" Rose cried, arms hanging from the Doctor's neck.

The Doctor smiled widely. "Silly! Of course you would of…I'm the Doctor." He said proudly.

Rose shook her head, burying her face into his shoulder and shaking with laughter.

Rimmer looked at Rose, her arms entwined around the Doctor's neck, his hands resting on the small of her back as Rimmer's had merely moments ago and he sighed inwardly.

Maybe this wasn't an illusion. Maybe this was the truth after all. And sure, if he wanted so save his own skin, he would listen to her and do as Rose had ordered. But maybe, if this really was reality, watching Rose and the Doctor hugging happily, swaying back and forth in each others arms, another opportunity lost…maybe, he didn't want it to be.

* * *

**_So there it is! I hope you guys had fun reading. I may have converted some of you into Rimmer/Rose shippers. I don't even know if I ship it myself, but oh well, I just hope you guys had as much fun reading as I did writing._**

**_Chapter 7 will hopefully be on it's way shortly._**

**_Please leave a review if you can, thanks!_**

**_RavenclawCookie_**


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